You're not the boss of me
by StardustBunnie
Summary: With his father out of the way, Seto plans to take over KaibaCorp and make it greater than ever. To his shock and horror, the rights to rule the company go to none other than Atem, making him nothing but an employee! Kaiba decides to get revenge on Atem and get his company back by any means necessary, especially since in love and war all is fair ... /Rating will change later on./AU
1. Chapter 1

Hello! A-Ahem, so ... uh ...

Well, I uploaded it, lol. This is my first Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfiction, and I got a sudden inspiration while watching the series. By the way, I don't own any part of Yu-Gi-Oh!, otherwise the whole show would be all about Kaiba and the Pharaoh getting it on XD So this is obviously prideshipping pairing yaoi/bl fanfiction, there are most probably going to be some steamy sexy scenes up ahead. When the time comes, I'll change the rating to M, so for now it'll be T. **Any reviews are welcomed! **

So, with that being said, I hope you enjoy and I'll see you guys in the next chapter, whenever that is.

* * *

**Chapter I**

"You can't run this company, Atem!" Seto screamed, slamming his hands shamelessly on the desk. He was sick and tired of being bossed around, told what to do and where to go, especially since this is something Seto should be doing. He believed this position was rightfully his. This whole company existed thanks to his father, and the brunet couldn't understand why and how the rights for owning it had suddenly transferred to the Muto family.

Atem sighed and looked at Seto, his eyes full of neither fury nor shock. Rather, they reflected nothing but the man standing before him, and at this point, the taller male realized what a wreck he was. He looked horrifying, like some extra for a zombie in The Walking Dead – dark circles under his eyes, veins popped on his forehead, lips red and swollen from constant biting, and sclerae were bloodshot from lack of sleep and a lot of stress.

Atem, on the other hand, seemed completely calm and collected. No signs of pressure on him whatsoever. And perhaps this was what angered Seto the most.

"Kaiba, you may not be aware of this, but I haven't majored in psychology, so I cannot help your anger management issues. For the fifth time today, and the thirty-seventh for this week, I will ask you to –"

"I won't leave your damn cabinet until you've answered me one question, why is it that you're the one in control of this company, and I'm just your puppet on strings?!"

Atem's closed eyes opened, accompanied by a slight grimace as Kaiba hit his desk once more. He sighed and looked at him, leaving the luxurious pen aside. He would have to continue his paperwork later, it seemed. With Kaiba around, it was going to be hard to concentrate on anything.

"I was actually going to ask you to stop slamming your hands on my desk, seeing how this is more painful for you than it is for the wood." Atem said, his lips curling into a small, playful smile. He couldn't conceal his amusement from Kaiba's constant mental breakdowns, although it did get boring after the first month. It's been a few years now. Surely, even Kaiba would have gotten over something as little as this. But Kaiba had his pride to protect, and as long as he lived, he wasn't going to give up on what was rightfully his, which was, in this case, the power to rule over KaibaCorp.

"You think this is funny, don't you? We'll see who laughs last, Muto. I'll make you feel the same way I have felt over the last three years, robbed of your own glory and what's rightfully yours. Then we'll talk!" And with that, Kaiba leaned closer to Atem, both men looking straight into each other's eyes. Blue intertwined with purple, reflecting determination and bravery, and for a second, the air filled with such tension and weight, it had gotten hard to breathe.

And what happened next was too fast for the young leader to comprehend. Kaiba grabbed his Millennium Puzzle and, knowing it was held around the neck with a chain, swiftly pushed Atem's head against the desk so he could pull the Puzzle out with ease and run away.

"No, my puzzle!" Atem yelled, a jolt of fear striking his heart. He stood up and growled, seeing how Kaiba had done the lowest thing one could possibly do – steal and run. But why? Kaiba would never steal something. He was against cheating, and was the most hardworking employee Atem had the honor of having in his company. So, if it wasn't stealing, then … what was it? _Never mind that now, I must follow him, _the exotic-haired man said. He quickly ran after him, rushing by his own employees who were working tirelessly to be promoted, yet because of Kaiba, Atem never really got the chance to reward all of them for their hard work. If only he could get that man to realize that the world didn't resolve around him.

"Kaiba, this is not a game, get back here this instant!" Atem roared, running after him as fast as he could. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had gifted Kaiba with quite the tall posture, leaving poor Muto at an unfair disadvantage of 153cm, in comparison to the other male's staggering 186cm. It was a tag game which Atem was doomed to fail at, and it took him a while to figure that out. His own pride wouldn't let his brain speak the truth, but the truth was revealed soon enough, because the moment Atem left the building and lost Kaiba somewhere between the grocery store on the main street and the pharmacy, he realized he was never going to outrun him.

"Damn it, Kaiba! What was he thinking?!" Atem cursed. This puzzle meant the world to him, and he could barely function right without it. He had to retrieve it immediately. Waiting until the morning would not be possible, not only because Atem wouldn't be able to sleep without his precious puzzle around his neck, but also because he had no idea whether Kaiba would actually show up at work. Perhaps the only way to get that puzzle back, was to find that man's address and pay him a visit tonight.

Atem shook his head, feeling a pulsing pain surging through it. Yes, this was going to be quite the annoyance. He turned around and walked back inside the building, hands in the pocket, back posture straight, head lifted high, his gaze prideful and powerful. Atem's personality seemed to make up for his rather small body, but that was only natural. After all, he was a king on the inside. He was a true pharaoh in this modern world. The leader it needed most desperately.

"Mister Muto, is something wrong? You left so swiftly." Atem's secretary greeted him. The girl was new to this job, barely having worked here three months, and still couldn't learn to keep the private questions to herself. Atem didn't seem to mind. He respected her innocence and taught her whenever he could. He missed Tea as his secretary, but she left to pursue her dreams as a dancer, and Atem couldn't bring himself to stop her. Although he did miss her a lot, she had every right to go.

"No, Turner. It's alright." Atem said, passing her by calmly. He could feel her eyes linger on his body, and for a moment, he was about to question that out loud. But a more important matter came to his mind, and he swiftly turned around, his jacket nearly falling off his shoulders.

"Turner, may I ask a favor?" Atem spoke as he boldly walked towards her. He could see his own reflection in his secretary's eyeglasses, and under them – a mysterious redness build in her cheeks.

"Y-Yes, can I help you, mister Muto?" The young lady asked, stuttering for unknown reasons. Atem decided not to think about her odd behavior and concentrate on his own problems.

"I would like you to find me the address of a certain employee. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, of course! What is his name, mister Muto?"

"Seto Kaiba." Atem bitterly said, a little grimace following these words. "And, if possible, I would like his phone number as well. You can send someone to give them to me if you can't do it now, but no later than 7PM."

Turner nodded vigorously, so much that her glasses nearly fell. She swiftly grabbed them and repositioned them, smiling awkwardly at her boss. Atem couldn't help but feel bad for that girl. It seemed like she was starting to bend under the stress. He knew that KaibaCorp was quite the busy company, but he still didn't want to see his employees suffering the same way Kaiba does. Then again, with Kaiba, it's more of a personal vendetta than mental exhaustion.

Perhaps the least a boss could do is to give his workers some slack, eh?

"Turner … "

"M-Mary. Mary Turner, sir."

Atem smiled and nodded. "Yes. Mary, are you having a hard time as a secretary? If you wish, I could send you to a different department, you don't have to work here if you don't want to."

"No, no, I'm totally fine here, this is like, the best place ever!" Mary said, lifting her shaky hand to make a victory sign. Atem eyed her suspiciously, before his smile disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. Indeed, smiles weren't a naturally-occurring thing with him.

"I'm … sure it is, but you seem rather stressed. Is it something at home, or do you have difficulties getting used to your new job?"

Mary looked away, her face flushed pure red. She shook her head in denial instead of confirming Atem's suspicions, which confused him further. He was usually right!

"Then, are you not feeling well? If that is the case, then you can tell me any time, Mary. I assure you, although I'm known to be bad, I'm actually quite the kind and generous person." Atem joked and chuckled with his usual, deep voice. Seeing how the girl's obvious fever only worsened, the man decided that he needed a new strategy to speak to his employees. It seems that more than half of the female workers here had the same reaction. Was he an allergen, and if so, why were the allergic reactions so severe every time?

"W-Well, then." Since Mary didn't really reply to his joke, Atem cleared his throat and turned towards his cabinet. "Don't forget to do what I told you." And with those words, he left in his cabinet, leaving the poor, flustered Mary to herself.

The girl breathed out in relief, as if she had been holding her breath all this time, and traced her boss as he closed his door and disappeared from her sight.

"Ah, I barely made it … Calm down, Mary, you're not the only one with a crush on Atem. Y-You should be braver than that! It's not like he's a monster or something." She scolded herself quietly, typing on the computer. It certainly wasn't hard to find what she needed, especially since what she needed was quite popular. After all, the person was, ironically, an employee of the month. Again.

Mary sighed as she looked at the information graphics about Seto Kaiba on the screen. "You should be brave like him, Mary. He's been confessing to Atem for three years straight now, every single day! S-Still, if Atem loves mister Kaiba back, then … then Mary's finished!" The girl softly whined, shaking her head in denial. No, that can't happen! She was in a complete dilemma. She actually liked the relationship between Seto and Atem, but at the same time, if this progressed to something more than friendship that would mean there would be no chance for Mary. A catastrophe indeed.

But wait. Why would Atem want Seto's phone number and address? Could it be that they have finally grown to love each other? Could they be in a relationship? Her wild yaoi-loving otaku heart had spoken, and Mary knew what to do now. She certainly loved the pairing, yes, but if she wanted to have a chance with Atem, then she had to hurry and do something fast, otherwise it would be over too soon!

"Hm … I suppose mister Muto won't be very mad if I accidentally mess up the address, right?" Mary spoke to herself once more, grinning as she wrote down Kaiba's address, changing the number and name of the street, so that it resembled the original, but at the same time, was as further away from it as possible. Changing the phone number seemed to be a tough job unfortunately, since Atem would probably call his employee first, to warn him that he was coming over. He would find out swiftly if the number was wrong. But the address was a whole different matter.

Chuckling rather happily, Mary wrote down the contact information and stood up. She looked around, trying to scan the perimeter for an unwary worker who had some job in Atem's cabinet, and once she found her clueless prey, she effectively pleaded him to give the piece of paper to Atem, and got rid of this dirty job. For now, at least.

"Mm, Mary deserves a pat on the back!" The girl chirped to herself once she sat on her chair and happily hummed. She twisted a lock of hair around her finger, closing her eyes as she daydreamed of her one and only Atem, not realizing the grave mistake she did …

* * *

A few knocks on the door got the violet-eyed man's attention.

"Come." A strong voice welcomed the employee that was standing behind the door. He came inside and bowed before handing the little paper that Mary had given him, along with some documents that needed to be done for a future deal with Industrial Illusions.

"Is this from my secretary?" Atem asked as he took the paper, glancing at it before he looked at his worker. The man nodded. "I suppose she was too busy to deliver it herself … it matters not. Thank you for bringing it, Jameson. You're dismissed."

As soon as Atem was alone in his cabinet, he carefully read the address and the phone number before he took his little Nokia and dialed the number. One would think that for the leader of such a powerful company a non-OS phone was absurd, but Muto relied more on the old, but trustworthy technology, instead of the new and fragile one. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why Kaiba hated his way of ruling so much – because with Atem in charge of the company, barely any new technology was being introduced, and instead, a lot of diplomacy and deals took place.

Waiting patiently, the spiky-haired male wasn't surprised to hear Kaiba's voice mail activate. He sighed and decided to leave a message anyway. Perhaps the man wasn't home yet. That, or he refused to answer his phone. Either way, a message was going to do the job Atem had to do.

"Kaiba. It's me, Atem. I could not comprehend your actions today, but rest assured that I have forgiven you for what you did. Know that I am coming over after work to get what you stole from me, and … if you truly wish, we can discuss the matter that has been bothering you lately." After all, if this was what got Kaiba so edgy and emotional, perhaps it was best to give him what he needed. This company belonged to him. It was rightfully his, not Muto's. Still, explaining why things turned out like this might be more of a hassle than anything else. But he owed Kaiba at least an explanation.

Without saying anything further, Atem finished with his message and left his phone aside, deciding to take care of the paperwork for today. Someone had to do it, and although he felt extremely insecure and distracted without his puzzle, Muto knew he had to have faith if he wanted to regain his precious millennium item. And with Kaiba in this, there was nothing else he could do but hope for the best.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II**

Mokuba sighed. His eyes followed Seto's panicked walking back and forth in the living room with worry, hoping that his brother would eventually calm down, lest he wanted to drill a hole in the floor.

"Brother, why don't you sit down?"

"It isn't worth my time sitting down, Mokuba, if it means getting up a moment later to open the door for that freak." Kaiba hissed, stopping for a moment so he could look at his little brother. He could see those big eyes of his pleading him to calm down, but the man wasn't ready to relax just yet. He was going to do that after he claims back his rights to own and rule KaibaCorp. Until then, he was going to be on his guard. He's been that way for three years. Surely, a few minutes would be a piece of cake, wouldn't they?

"But big brother …" Mokuba tried to argue, yet decided it wasn't going to lead their conversation anywhere. If anything, he should be supporting his brother now. "Is he even going to come, Seto?"

"He'd better." Kaiba bitterly said, teeth clenched as he continued marching in circles. It was already 8PM and he knew that Muto's shift ended one hour ago. Where could he be? Surely, an hour would be more than enough time to reach the apartment they were in. _Unless he got lost, which is highly unlikely_, Seto thought. If his boss gets lost that easily, then what's left of KaibaCorp? Not that it wasn't lost already, but someone who didn't have at least some sense of coordination had no place leading a company.

With a sigh, Kaiba took his car keys and decided to go and buy some beer. It did spark quite the idea in his head. Perhaps, if he managed to get Muto drunk enough, he would sign the contract he printed out for him, and end up transferring the company to its rightful owner. Besides, a guest was naturally greeted with alcoholic beverages, was he not? Especially at such a late hour, in a conversation between two men, beer had to be present. For Kaiba, wine was for the ladies and for those treacherous bastards from Industrial Illusions, and good champagne was hard to find in the local stores. So in this case, beer was his only solution. But he had to find _good_ beer. One with high alcoholic percentage. Although he was certain that even a non-alcoholic beverage could get that idiot drunk, he had to make sure the job was done by getting the strongest beer available.

"I'm going out, Mokuba. You better be in bed before I'm back, and I assure you, that'll be quite soon." Kaiba said, turning to face his little brother, who smiled and nodded obediently.

"Mm. Goodnight, big bro!" And Mokuba knew better than to go against Seto. He knew the man wished only the best for him, and wouldn't want to upset him. Especially now.

Kaiba nodded before he put on his long coat and left. He was glad that he had such a smart brother. He didn't know what he would do with a runt such as the bosses. That Yugi was as annoying as his big brother, Atem. _They're all the same, after all. The whole family is a bunch of complete morons, _Kaiba thought.

He walked to his car, which was parked outside their apartment and took out his car keys. It didn't take long before he got in the car and started the engine, deciding to take the shortcut to the nearest Target store. It certainly wasn't his favorite place to shop, but at that time of the night, it was one of the few stores that were open.

Upon arriving at the store, Kaiba's phone ringed. Of course, he ignored it the first time, figuring it wasn't more important than parking the car or getting inside the store. But as he walked around the aisles later on, his IPhone 6 ringed once again, this time longer than before. Kaiba figured he should wait until it stops, but people were staring, and he felt like an idiot for not answering the alarming tune in his pocket.

"For Christ's sake." Kaiba hissed and took the phone out of his coat. He managed to glance at the screen for a second, and that's all he needed, because when he saw who was calling him, he nearly dropped his phone. And we all know what happens when a phone so expensive hits the floor. Thankfully, Seto had good reflexes and managed to grab his precious device before it reached the ground, answering it accidentally at the same time. He was going to hang up, but it was too late.

"Kaiba?" The strong voice boomed from the other side. "I know you're there."

"Of course I am, it's my phone, you moron." Kaiba hissed, unable to hold back. He spoke quietly and sharply in order to not attract any unnecessary attention, but it was hard not to snap right now. Oh, how wonderful his life would've been without Atem or Yugi in it. "What do you want?"

"I … wanted to know where you are." Atem said. Seto raised his left eyebrow as he inspected some new brand of beer. The alcohol content seemed high, but would it be enough? Speaking of which, Mokuba's grades at school were getting better with each month, the boy had earned himself a treat. Now, what should he give him as a reward? Seto knew his little brother liked chocolate parfait, so perhaps he could get the needed ingredients to make him some at home. He wasn't the best cook, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

The brunette looked around, absent-mindedly holding the phone as he picked the ingredients needed for the dessert. Eggs, vanilla, white chocolate, cocoa powder …

"Kaiba, are you there? I want you to listen to me when I'm talking!"

"And I want you to give me back my company." Kaiba smirked as he teased the man with great pleasure. "Funny how we don't always get what we want, isn't it?" It was very fun playing around with him, ignoring him, then hearing him plead for attention. _Like a dog._

"Kaiba, … Are you at home?" Atem asked, after a long and tired sigh. "I need to know, because—"

"Listen, Muto. I don't have time for empty talk, and I have no obligations to answer you. You have my address. Why don't you come over and see for yourself?"

"That's …" Atem started, but Seto hung up and turned off his phone, putting it back in the pocket of his coat. He had no time to deal with someone as idiotic as Atem. Besides, what more did he want? He certainly had the address. Did he need a lift, too? _As if_, Kaiba thought as he finally chose a strong beer and got eight packs - more than enough to get his boss drunk. He paid for it and left the store, then got in the car and drove back home. There was no need to waste any more time outside. In fact, Kaiba was more than eager to come back home, especially since he knew that Atem was somewhere out there, wandering the streets in search of his apartment. Not that he was scared of the young leader, he just didn't want to see him unless absolutely necessary, and since they were going to meet tonight, what was the point of a second meeting?

"Mokuba?" Kaiba looked around once he arrived safely back home. Everything was the way he left it before he went shopping – the lights were on, the TV was on some kids channel and on mute, the laptop Seto used was on hibernate. It seems that Mokuba wasn't in the living room, so perhaps he was already in bed, sleeping. Just as told.

Kaiba felt a little smile grow on his lips, but didn't stop it. He was glad that his little brother was nice like that. Listening to him, counting on him, doing whatever he was told. Well, most of the time, at least. He certainly didn't like it when Mokuba talked about Yugi or the others, but he couldn't forbid his brother from hanging out with his friends, even if his friends were the losers of the class.

"Speaking of losers, Muto might be coming over soon. He did call to annoy me, after all." Kaiba spoke to himself as he took his coat off. He had no idea when that slacker would actually arrive, but he promised himself he would not sit until that man comes. Until then, he had to kill time somehow, and it had to be in a standing position, too.

Kaiba couldn't realize how childish he was acting, refusing to sit on a couch or a chair before Atem arrives, simply because he thought it wasn't worth standing up for that man later, but he definitely did a lot of good work because of that. He managed to clean the living room, his bedroom and the bathroom within less than an hour, plus he washed all the dishes, re-arranged all the books in alphabetical order in the bookcase in said living room, wiped the dust off some pictures and portraits on the walls, and opened a can of beer to give it a try, and reward himself for the hard work.

"This place certainly looks better than before. Although I miss my mansion, a small apartment isn't so bad." Kaiba murmured, drinking the beer he bought specially for Atem. It tasted good, and definitely hit hard in the head. It was bound to make the young leader drunk enough for the plan to work. And speaking of the devil, he's yet to make an appearance in this whole set up. Waiting another hour would be foolish, yet Kaiba couldn't bring himself to sit just yet. He figured drinking another can of beer would kill enough time for the 'pharaoh', as the female workers lovingly referred to him, to come and put an end to this hellish waiting. The brunette wasn't known to be especially patient, but here he was, drinking and waiting tirelessly, even if it was nearing midnight.

In the end, the man began losing hope. It wasn't in his spirit to do so, but he was exhausted. He was human. Kaiba waited more for Atem than he had waited for anyone else, and now it was time to call it quits.

"He must've changed his mind. I suppose the puzzle isn't as precious to him as he says it is." Kaiba said to himself and sat on the couch with a heavy sigh and a pain-filled groan. He could finally feel his legs, after standing all night and walking around like crazy. His body relaxed on the couch, and his muscles melted in pleasure as they were finally relieved from the tension inside. Now that he was alone and had the time to breathe in, Kaiba realized that it had begun to rain. It must've conveniently waited for him to come home. It wasn't just a shower, either – it was quite the fierce storm. No one would dare to walk around in that weather. Not even Kaiba's almighty boss.

Perhaps that was Atem's answer to the whole situation. Indeed, now that Seto had the opportunity to rest, he could finally see and think straight. He never had any chance of getting his company back. There was no way to retrieve his rights, no matter how unfair it sounded. Once something was lost, there was hardly any possibility of getting it back.

_Perhaps things are better that way_, Kaiba thought. _Perhaps this is all meant to be—_

A sudden ring interrupted the man's train of thoughts. For a second, Seto forgot that he was sitting, but the moment he looked at his feet and realized that he had to get up to answer the door, he groaned and squeezed the life out of that already emptied beer can in pure anger.

_Damn it, tricked again!_

* * *

Atem shivered, his tricolored hair stuck to his face and water trickling down his skin and from his clothes. Unfortunately, the rain got him before could reach Kaiba's place. Although he was standing in front of his door now, patiently waiting for it to be opened. A small part of him expected this to be the wrong address again, after waiting nearly an hour outside in the rain in front of an old lady's house which turned out to be, unfortunately, deceased from quite some time.

The man let out a quiet, remorseful sigh as he stared at his drenched shoes. A lump had found its way in his throat, growing with each passing second, and ignoring it only brought unnecessary moisture in his eyes. _Fuck._

"You. What are you doing here?" The door opened, and Kaiba's "warm" welcoming followed. "You said you'd come, but I never expected you to have the guts to show up in the middle of the night-" Kaiba's words trailed off the moment he saw the silent Atem lift his head. His eyes widened as he saw the other's violet ones filling with what looked like tears. Not wasting another moment, Kaiba pulled the man inside and closed the door behind him, rushing through the room to fetch him a towel.

Atem was startled when said towel hit his face and curiously looked at Seto who glared back instead, standing right beside him.

"Kaiba …"

"Go ahead, wipe yourself. I was going to do the laundry anyway." The brunette bitterly said, although this didn't feel like his usual cold and mocking tone. It was a softer one, in a way.

Atem nodded after a moment of silence, gently drying his hair. He didn't say anything and didn't felt any need to, because as soon as Kaiba gave him the towel, he left the room and went somewhere else.

It didn't take long before the taller man came back, bringing along the sweet aroma of cocoa. Atem couldn't help but look at him once more, and this time Seto shoved a cup of hot chocolate in his hands.

"Kaiba, what are you even …" Atem began, but Seto gave him the harshest look he could possibly muster in this situation, and left the room once more.

Atem looked at the drink in his hands, which seemed to be prepared with a lot of care, despite its quick arrival. He couldn't understand why Kaiba was doing this. It wasn't something he would usually do. Was this normal? Or was there something else that Atem had missed to notice?

A minute later Kaiba came back, this time with a pair of clean clothes. They seemed too small to be his, so perhaps they belonged to Mokuba.

"Kaiba?"

"I swear to God, I'm changing my last name if you repeat it one more time." Kaiba snapped, unknowingly clenching the clothes he brought. Atem's eyes widened at that rather snarky reply, but he didn't find it offending in the least. In fact, the smaller male laughed, further annoying the already pissed off brunette.

"Then, would you like me to call you by your first name?" Atem asked, his tone getting a more playful sound to it than before.

For some reason, that seemed to bring Kaiba relief beyond his understanding. He couldn't comprehend it, but it was as if something heavy had just been lifted from his heart. As if his whole silently exhaled all the stress.

"Do whatever you want. Here's an old pair of Mokuba's nightwear. Take those muddy rags off and get changed." Kaiba said, turning his back on Atem as he walked out of the living room for the third time.

Atem frowned as he inspected the clothes, seeing that this was Mokuba's pajamas from middle school. And seeing how the boy was shorter and skinnier from him now, there was no way in hell that something that old would fit him. Mokuba was probably even smaller before!

"Uh, Kaiba, this won't—"

"Get on with it or I'll personally take the clothes off you and dress you up like a little dolly." The man growled, his voice audible from the kitchen.

Atem sighed and figured he shouldn't waste any more of Kaiba's time. He left the cup of hot cocoa on the table and stood up, taking off all of his clothes, with the exception of his underwear, which had somehow remained dry. He then took Mokuba's pajamas and decided to put on the pants first. It thankfully fit him, although it was a bit too short for his liking, barely reaching his knee caps. Not to mention the embarrassing patterns of little ducks and stars on them. And the top wasn't any better, either. In fact, as soon as he put it on, the man realized that it was too tiny for him to take it off. It was right above his belly button, the sleeves resting right at his elbows. No, this was too flustering. He couldn't show himself to Kaiba like that!

"Are you done or what?" Speaking of which, the man in the kitchen was losing his patience. He refused to wait any longer for someone like Atem. He would rather see him butt naked than wait on his feet like his boss was some royalty.

"No, Kaiba, don't!" Atem tried to stop Seto from coming, but the moment he said that, the door to the living room was open and the brunette entered, halting mid-way to the couch when he saw the outcome of this short-lived fashion show.

A moment of silence followed, before the air was filled with Kaiba's mocking laugh. In fact, he laughed so much that tears formed in his eyes. Never had he seen something so pathetic in his whole life – the mighty pharaoh of the modern world dressed like a third grader.

Atem's cheeks filled with redness as he gnawed on the inside of his cheeks. He didn't want to talk back, not after everything Kaiba did for him. The cocoa, the clothes, the towel … this was all an act of kindness, and Atem knew he had to respect it.

"Wow. Never knew it would suit you so much." Seto teased, sitting on the armchair beside the couch with a can of beer in his hand. He actually liked that beer, so he figured he should drink another can.

"It's a little tight on me, actually." Atem quietly mumbled.

"What are you talking about, it's a perfect fit. So, what brings you to my humble abode?"

"Don't act stupid, I've come here for my millennium puzzle. The one you stole from me this evening, remember?" Atem frowned, sitting on the couch instead. He took the hot cocoa in his hands and breathed in the scent that was coming from it. The porcelain cup was still warm from the liquid inside, which soothed the man's cold fingers.

"Oh, please. You borrowed my company, I borrowed your puzzle. Simple as that. Speaking of which, you said something about KaibaCorp on the phone." Seto spoke, holding his can of beer pretentiously. He had Atem exactly where he needed him. Yes, the plan with the beer failed, but everything else was exactly as it should've been.

"I … did, yes. If it's bothering you so much, I am willing to transfer all the rights to you."

"Hah, I knew you would say that, so I've prepared a number of arguments to … wait, what?" Kaiba swiftly put his beer aside and looked at Atem, his eyes wide in surprise. This couldn't be happening. Yes, it was a good thing, but why and how was his boss willing to give up on the company so easily?

"You heard me. If you truly want that, I'll let you have KaibaCorp back." The exotic-haired man said, his expression so calm that it was hard to read. "You don't need to do anything. I'll print out the documents and sign them myself."

"So you went through the trouble of finding my address and coming here just to tell me this?" Kaiba softly asked, standing on his feet. His blue eyes were staring at the ground, as if he was greatly shocked from what he just heard. But the truth was far from that.

"Yes." Atem said.

"Bulls**t." Kaiba hissed back. "You came here to get your millennium puzzle, and I went through all the trouble of taking it so I could bribe it for my company."

Atem blinked in surprise. He didn't know what to say to this. He figured this was why Kaiba took his puzzle, but never thought it would actually be like this.

"I … truly am sorry for spoiling your plans, but I just came here to talk with you about the transfer of the rights for the company. I can live without my puzzle."

"Bull-f**king-s**t, Muto." Kaiba growled as he stood up. "If you wanted to talk with me, you would've done it a long time ago, and not conveniently after I took your little jewelry. Now admit that you're here for your own selfish reasons!"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Kaiba, but I –"

"Nonsense! What kind of a man are you, Muto? What kind of a leader are you, if you're giving up on your company so easily? I'm surprised that, with that kind of attitude, you didn't transfer KaibaCorp to one of your employees a long time ago. I bet you would've given it to anyone who asked!"

"That's not true." Atem frowned, but Kaiba's words were like a slap to the face. Atem wasn't like this – he wasn't such a loser, he didn't give up like that. So what was the reason to do so now? Why was he giving up so easily? This was a question Kaiba couldn't answer, either. He was perplexed at his own enemy's wimpy attitude, and he wanted nothing more but to beat some sense into him now.

"Is it? Because it looks to me like you're giving up my father's legacy without a fight, and to absolutely anyone who kindly asks for it."

"You deserve that company, Kaiba. It's yours. I am not giving it to anyone else but you." Atem insisted, trying to protect what little pride was left in his heart. It was obvious, however, that in his eyes, the will to fight and the ambitious fire were barely visible. They were nearly extinguished, in fact, which could explain the man's laid back attitude in that situation.

But Kaiba wasn't going to tolerate this. What he hated most, aside from cheaters and lies, was unworthy opponents.

"Is that so? Well, I'm not taking it."

"W…what? Why not?!" Atem asked, shocked from Kaiba's sudden change of personality. Why would a man, who strived to retrieve his rights over KaibaCorp for so long, suddenly give up on his dreams?

"Because it's like taking candy from a baby. I want to crush my opponents, Muto. And you're not even worth my time. You've never backed down from a duel, never given up no matter how tight the spot is. You've never lost at games, too. Never lost your bet at poker. And now you're losing your will to fight? I won't accept it. Take out your deck, we're playing Duel Monsters."

* * *

**AN: Oh snap, things are about to get serious :o**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III**

Atem shook his head. This was getting ridiculous. He figured that once he gives up, Kaiba would gladly take the company and get this over with. But now he found himself being pushed and forced to fight for what wasn't even his.

"Kaiba, we're not in high school anymore. Matters such as those shouldn't be decided with a card game." Atem said. He could feel nostalgia surging through him, like a ghost that took possession of his heart. Before, everything would be decided with Duel Monsters. Who gets lunch first, who leaves school before the others, who does the homework of the day and lets others borrow it, who shares his dessert. Now, they were adults. Duel Monsters played no role here.

"I don't care. Take out your deck."

"I don't have it with me."

"Then take this one. It's Mokuba's old deck. " Kaiba pushed the deck in Atem's hands and sat on the armchair, moving it with his body until he was in front of the violet eyed man. "Now shuffle it."

"This is getting embarrassing, Kaiba." Atem warned him as he shuffled the deck, then handed it to Kaiba so he could shuffle it, and took his deck instead for the same reasons. After that, they handed back their decks and placed them on the table, pulling out five cards for their hand.

"The only thing that's embarrassing is your whining. Now I'll start first." Kaiba said. He set a magic card face down, and placed Vorse Raider in attack mode. He didn't look like he was enjoying this duel very much, but he was doing it for reasons other than enjoyment. He wanted to revive Atem's fighting spirit, and perhaps even learn what crushed it in the first place. The difference between Atem from this morning, and the Atem that was playing now, was like the distance from the Moon to the Earth. It was too much to comprehend or explain.

"Nice card. I remember your tactics, Kaiba. Your deck uses the oldest tricks in the book of Duel Monsters. It is the so called Beatdown strategy, which utilizes strong monsters to force the opponent into defense and deplete his life points as fast as possible." Atem said with a little smile. He knew Seto's tricks, and it was going to take a lot more to defeat him than that.

"My, did you figure that on your own, or did someone help you?" Kaiba sarcastically said, mocking Atem. "Now make your move. It feels like I'm dueling my grandmother."

The shorter male nodded and put a monster card in defense mode, setting two magic cards face down. "I'm done. We _are_ playing with 4,000 LP, right?"

"Even if we were playing with more, you'd still go down." Kaiba said, drawing another card. He grinned and played Hitotsu-Me Giant, waiting for a moment to see if that triggered any trap cards. Atem stood calmly and watched Kaiba, hands crossed.

"I'm waiting. You said I'm going down." Atem reminded.

"Shut up. I'll attack your face-down card with my Vorse Raider. He's got 1900 AP, which would easily destroy almost any pathetic card you have laid."

"Perhaps, but not this one." Atem flipped it, showing his Mystical Elf, which had 2000DP. "Because of the difference in your Vorse Raider's attack points, and my Mystical Elf's defense points, you lose a hundred life points."

"Big deal." Seto murmured as he wrote down his life points on a piece of paper, handing Atem a blank list as well as a pen so he could write down his own points whenever he loses some.

"It's my turn." Atem declared as he drew a card, his violet eyes looking at Kaiba's hazel ones. It's been a while since they could be like this – sitting in front of one another, holding the cards in their hands and watching each other carefully. Atem felt slightly uncomfortable under Seto's surprisingly calm stare, and decided to pay attention to his own hand instead.

"Alright, I'll put Mystic Clown in attack mode and activate a field spell – Yami, which raises the attack and defense points of all Fiend and Spellcaster type monsters by 200 points. I'll also put another magic card face down, and I will end my turn." Atem said. For some reason, he didn't attack. Perhaps he had a strategy planned all along?

"What a stupid move." Kaiba said as he drew his next card. "Your army of mystic losers won't be able to stop my powerful monsters. Allow me to introduce you to one of them." He smirked, playing the card he just drew from his deck. "I'm sacrificing my Hitotsu-Me Giant to summon Judge Man, in attack mode. Now—"

"I activate Trap Hole." Atem said matter-of-factly, flipping his first magic card on the field. Kaiba frowned and took his newly-placed Judge Man card, sending it to the graveyard field. At the same time, Atem placed his Trap Hole card in that same field, their fingers accidentally touching. Kaiba glared at Atem, while the violet-eyed man was startled from the sudden jolt of electricity between them. That didn't feel right at all! Perhaps the air was getting electrified from the heat of the duel?

"Fine, whatever. I'll use Vorse Raider to attack your puny Mystic Clown, and if you don't have any other magic cards to activate, it'll be destroyed and sent to the graveyard, plus you'll lose 200 life points." Kaiba smirked as he did the math out loud. Atem's Mystic Clown originally had 1500AP, but because of Yami, it gained a field spell bonus of two hundred points.

"Well done." Atem praised Seto as he put his Mystic Clown in the card graveyard.

"Thanks. Now it's your turn." Kaiba nonchalantly said and waited. "Oh, I almost forgot. Before you go any further, you should at least know the stakes of this game."

"I thought we were already playing for the rights of KaibaCorp." Atem said.

"We are, but to make it interesting, we're also adding your millennium puzzle. And to turn the game more challenging, since you're such a professional, for every monster I destroy on your field, you'll drink one glass of beer."

"Beer? You're not trying to intoxicate me, are you?" Atem asked, his eyebrows narrowing.

"Of course not. The same applies for me. For every monster you destroy on my side of the field, I'll drink one glass of beer, too. And since you already agreed to this duel, you have no choice but to oblige. Now, shall we?" Kaiba left his hand faced down on the table and took a glass for him and his opponent, filling it with beer. He also took the other packs of beer and left them on the table, so he wouldn't have to get up every time to take one, open it and pour the liquid in the glass.

Atem sighed and decided to play along. He took the glass and drank the beer inside in one go, seeing how Kaiba did the same. It was a strong beer, and Atem knew he wasn't used to drinking alcohol. He should be careful from now on …

"My turn." Atem said, grimacing a bit at the nasty aftertaste of the beer in his mouth. He drew a card, thinking for a moment what he should do. He didn't have the right card yet, so all he had left to do was wait for it to come. "I'll activate a face-down magic card, Swords of Revealing Light, meaning you can't attack for three turns. " He said, flipping one of his magic cards on the field. "With that, I end my turn."

"Hiding now, are we? Although you knew my strategy, you fell right for it." Kaiba grinned. He drew a card and grinned as he saw it, placing it immediately on the field. "I activate De-Spell to destroy your Swords of Revealing Light, and I'll sacrifice my Vorse Raider to summon Dragon Seeker, in attack mode. And since it's a Fiend, it gains your field bonus. I end my turn."

"You still don't have enough attack power to destroy my Mystical Elf. As long as she's standing, my life points will be safe." Atem said as he drew another card.

"Yes, because your Mystical Elf is the strongest monster in terms of defense in the whole game." Kaiba mocked him sarcastically.

Atem smirked, laying a monster face down.

"You're right, she's not. But she's strong enough to protect me."

"Well, it's time for you to stop counting on others for protection, and start counting on yourself." Kaiba said. He watched Atem carefully, seeing that the man wasn't going to do anything else for now, and decided to begin his turn. He drew a card and looked at Atem, wondering what could be hiding under those face-down cards. Perhaps he should get rid of them first. After all, they destroyed his Judge Man. He grinned and played a card in attack mode.

"I end my turn." Kaiba said, leaving Atem perplexed.

"You … summoned Ancient Lamp?" The violet-eyed man asked.

"Yes."

"In attack mode?"

"Obviously." Kaiba rolled his eyes.

"You sure the beer isn't getting to your head?" Atem asked, his confusion so visible that Kaiba found it hard not to laugh. "This was a horrible move. You could've even summoned La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp during your main phase."

"Don't teach me how to play the game and make your move." Seto hissed. He was well aware of what he could have done, but he didn't do it, end of discussion. He didn't want Atem coaching him how to do his strategies.

Atem shrugged and nodded, drawing a card. This was the weirdest move he's ever seen Kaiba make, and it felt almost like a trap. But there was a single magic card on his side of the field, and it didn't look like he was planning on activating it anytime soon. So, if that wasn't the case, then … what did he want?

"Kaiba, if you want to have beer so much, you can help yourself. Don't make me destroy your monsters just so you can drink." Atem said, laying Feral Imp on the field, in attack mode.

"Isn't it easier that way?" Kaiba jokingly replied.

"Well … if you say so. I attack your Ancient Lamp with my Feral Imp. It destroys it, and inflicts direct damage of four hundred points. You're down to 3,500 points. And you get to drink beer."

"Yay." Kaiba cheered in the most monotone, emotionless voice he had as he poured beer in his glass and drank it. Atem bit his lips to hold in a chuckle.

"It's your turn, Kaiba." He managed to say, clearing his throat.

Seto nodded and drew a card. He yawned and looked around, spotting the wall clock. _Well, then._

"What is it, getting sleepy?" Atem softly asked, his eyes looking at Kaiba.

"Ah, yeah. It's time to end the duel." Seto calmly said. "I've held back long enough."

"What do you mean?" Atem questioned him. Held back what? Yes, the beer was definitely getting to Kaiba's head. The man had never acted like this before. He was usually so obsessed with the game and how he would win. Now, he didn't show a drop of pleasure in what he did.

Wait, … there it was.

Kaiba grinned widely. He obviously had a plan. Atem figured Kaiba wanted to summon some stronger monster, but why would he leave his Ancient Lamp unattended? It didn't make sense if he needed two tributes to summon his Blue Eyes White Dragon! Unless …

"I activate my spell card - Change of Heart, and I'll take control of your Feral Imp. So hand it over." He commanded. Atem obliged and gave his opponent the card, which was now in attack mode on his side of the field.

"I'll activate another spell card – Megamorph!" Kaiba declared, content audible in his voice. "It doubles the attack of whatever monster I choose if my health points are lower than yours."

"So that's why you wanted me to attack!" Atem gasped.

"Took you long enough to figure it out. Now, I choose my Vorse Raider, who has a total of 2100 attack points. Doubled, they become 4200. In case you can't count, that's more than enough to destroy your precious Mystical Elf. I attack your monster, and utterly destroy it."

Atem gulped, waiting to see what would he do next. This wasn't going to turn out pretty.

"Now, I'll attack with your Feral Imp, and –"

"Not so fast, Kaiba. I activate my trap card – Waboku. It nullifies all damage." Atem proudly said as he lifted his face down magic card. It was his last magic card on the field.

"Tsch, you think that can save you? Watch. I end my battle phase, and activate another spell card. Behold, Monster Reborn. It allows me to revive a monster from the graveyard, and I choose your Mystical Elf. I'll summon her in attack mode."

"Attack mode? You can't be …" Atem's words trailed off. He was planning to summon something! Otherwise he would bother to at least summon that monster in defense, if not summon a much stronger one, such as Judge Man.

"Yes, I am. Now, I'll sacrifice two of my monsters – Feral Imp and Mystical Elf, to summon the almighty Blue Eyes White Dragon! And seeing how you have no magic cards on the field, nor do you have any monster cards, I think your chances of getting out of this situation are pretty slim. But, since I've already done all that can be done during one's turn, I end mine here."

Atem nodded as he drew another card. This wasn't turning out well at all. If only this next card is something that can help to turn this situation around … _Come on, heart of the cards!_

"This …" Atem was more than surprised when he saw what card he drew, and the smile was quick to return on his lips. "…is going to be the end of you, Kaiba."

"Nonsense. No card can save you from my Blue Eyes White Dragon. Admit defeat now, so I can stop wasting my time with you!" Kaiba angrily hissed.

"Not yet! I activate my spell card, Dark Hole!" Atem placed the card he just drew on the field, and smirked as he saw the smug smile on Kaiba's face disappear. The man growled in fury as he placed his monster cards in the Graveyard.

"And now, I'll bring forth Silver Fang, in attack mode. I attack your life points directly. From 3,500 you're down to—"

"Not so fast, Muto. I activate my trap card, Negate Attack. Did you think I'd leave my life points defenseless like you just did?" Kaiba smirked. He was happy he caught Atem off guard. As much as this was a serious duel, it was obvious that both men were having much fun.

"Now, if you're done with your pathetic dog, I'll start my turn." Kaiba drew a card and placed it immediately on the field. "I activate Pot of Greed, which allows me to draw two cards." The brunette drew two more cards, and decided to summon a monster in defense mode. With that, he ended his turn. He didn't seem too happy with his hand at this moment, but he wasn't going to give up just yet.

"My wolf isn't a pathetic dog, and you'll learn this the hard way." Atem said with a little grin as he drew his card. "I activate my spell card, Beast Fangs. It enhances my monster's strength by three hundred points. Now I'll attack your face down card!"

Kaiba flipped his card, which turned out to be Saggi the Dark Clown. Its defense points would've matched Silver Fang's current attack points, if it wasn't affected by Yami. Thus, its defense rose from 1500 to 1700, rendering Silver Fang's attack useless, and reflecting the difference to Atem's life points.

"Was I supposed to learn something, Muto? Because I'm not getting the lesson you're trying to teach me." Kaiba said, drawing a card. "Now, I'll sacrifice my monster to summon a stronger one, which will put an end to your little puppy. I play Swordstalker in attack mode, and use it to wreck your Silver Fang. I hope you can calculate the attack points you just lost after you drink another glass of beer." Kaiba smirked. With a beer so strong, Atem wouldn't be able to count the fingers on his hand soon.

The exotic-haired man bit his lip in anger as he placed his Silver Fang, and his Beast Fangs in the graveyard. He poured himself beer and drank it as fast as he could, so he wouldn't have time to taste it. He hated beer.

"I can. I am left with 3,100 points – a little less than yours."

"Glad you can still subtract. Now it's your turn." Kaiba was definitely dominating this duel. He was quick to draw, think of a strategy in no time, and execute that strategy brilliantly. Atem hadn't dueled in years. He forgot what it was like to play against someone in such a simple, yet stressful game. He was starting to learn how important it was to keep your fighting spirit up at all times, even if there was seemingly no reason to.

Atem sighed and drew his card with a smile.

"I understand now." He softly said.

"What are you mumbling about?" Kaiba frowned. "Make your move already."

"Yes, of course. Although I feel like this duel has already fulfilled its purpose. Thank you, Kaiba. For being a true friend, after all I've done to you." He said, looking at Kaiba. What he saw was a rather flustered, angered, embarrassed and humiliated person in front of him. Not the kind of a friend he was referring to a moment ago.

"A friend? Don't screw with me, Muto. We're enemies, nothing more. Now make your move before I decide you're forfeiting the game."

Atem chuckled and nodded. Yes, this was the Kaiba he knew. He looked at the card he drew, then looked at Seto. This was going to sting …

"I activate my spell card – Monster Reborn." Atem said. Kaiba's eyes widened as he immediately figured out which card his opponent was going to summon.

"Sorry Kaiba, but this is the end. I'll resurrect a monster's soul from the graveyard, more specifically, your Blue Eyes White Dragon." He took the card from the graveyard and placed it in his field in attack mode. "Now, I'll attack your Swordstalker and –"

The sound of a sudden loud and booming thunder filled the whole room. The lightning had probably struck the apartment, because at that moment, all lights automatically went out and the building literally shook. It was like a mini earthquake which caused both men to tumble, along with the table. Never in the history of storms had there been such a strong, loud and powerful thunder, enough to make the windows vibrate.

"Big brother, did you hear that?" Mokuba yelled as he ran to the living room, using his phone to make his way through the darkness. He had to find Seto, what if something happened to him? Mokuba shook his head, navigating in the pitch black corridor leading to the living room. No, nothing bad can happen to his big brother. He was the best in everything, there was no way a thunder could harm him. Who else was going to protect him, if not Seto?

"Big brother? Big brother!" Mokuba called again. He finally reached the living room with his phone and used the light to find his brother in the darkness. He found him almost instantly – groaning in pain, his hair all messed up from the fall and beer cans scattered on the carpet. Mokuba was more than happy to run to his brother's rescue, but he stopped mid-way when he saw that the light of his phone revealed much more than Seto.

They revealed a petite figure under his big brother's body, lying on the ground with legs spread wide open and shirt conveniently lifted. Seto's right knee seemed to be pressed between said legs, and the smaller male was emitting sounds that were either the result of great agony, or … the opposite.

* * *

**Fifty Shades of Duel Monsters, anyone? **

_WingsOfSatan: Whoa, murdered? Hm, not necessarily weird, but quite unexpected lol _


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV

Oh, how wonderful it must be to be as blissfully oblivious to adulthood as Mokuba. So young and, thanks to his big brother Seto, sheltered did the child grow up. He did not know what relationships meant, what sexuality was, where did babies come from. Yes, Mokuba was spared all the details surrounding adulthood, mainly because Kaiba found it difficult to talk to him about such uncomfortable topics. He knew that some day he'd have to explain this to Mokuba. Some day he would have to sit him down and give him the bees and the birds talk. Today, however, he was more than happy to know that Mokuba did not understand a single thing from what he was seeing.

Frankly, neither did Seto.

He pulled himself up from the ground as if it was made from lava, going as far as to step all the way back to his little brother. His knees were shaking. His face was on fire. Surely, this was … some sort of an allergic reaction. Yes, that's right. He was allergic to idiots, and right now he had made physical contact with the biggest idiot in his life. Just his luck. "Mokuba," He started, yet found himself at a loss of words. He felt anger bubbling inside him, as if he was pissed that his own little brother had come to his rescue and had become witness to this … this horrible accident. Kaiba took a deep breath. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm okay." The boy replied as he wrapped his arms around his big brother. He was scared. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but the thunder had truly scared him. To be woken up from sleep with such a loud bang … he knew he'd have trouble sleeping because of this. "I'm surprised nothing caught fire, considering most of the electronics were plugged."

"They weren't on." Kaiba mumbled, the warmth of Atem's crotch still lingering on his knee. "That's why I tell you to turn off everything before bed. TV, computer, whatever you've got working. Best to be safe than sorry." His eyes kept returning to the equally confused Atem who had somehow managed to find his way into the dark and was now dialing someone on his phone. He was calling Yugi, no doubt.

"Do you think they'll get the electricity back on soon?" Mokuba asked, hardly noticing the displeasure his big brother showed as he watched Atem slowly sit on the couch. Why were those two acting so stiff?

"I don't know, Mokuba. For now, we should find candles. Do you know where we keep them?" Seto asked, faintly hoping that he could have a moment of privacy to recollect himself.

"Wait here, I'll get them." Mokuba grabbed his phone and navigated through the dark rooms with the flashlight from the camera.

Seto exhaled. He touched his face and felt that he was burning up. Someone might think he was sick. He would agree. This just scarred him for life. Having touched that bastard there, even with his knee, even on accident, was the most humiliating thing that had ever happened in his life … after losing Kaiba Corp to him. He glanced at Atem. Did he feel it too? The heat … The sounds he made were telling him Atem was perfectly aware where his knee had been pressing. Fuck. Why did he act so normal then? Or was it because it was pitch black and he couldn't see his face? He wondered. Was Atem blushing now? Was his heart beating faster? He wished he could see the humiliation on his face … if this had truly upset his rival more than it did him, then maybe it wasn't so bad it happened. Maybe this was Atem's weak point.

They say one should keep their friends close, and their enemies – closer. Kaiba already knew that Atem did not feel the same hate for him as he did. In fact, he believed Atem was fond of him. Up until now he believed there was nothing between them than one-sided friendship, but what if …

What if Atem felt more?

What if Kaiba could use this against him?

The brunet grinned in the darkness. Of course. It was so simple. All this time, the answer had been right under his nose.

"I got the candles!" Mokuba came at the right time. Seto ruffled the kid's soft hair and took out his lighter. He took it upon himself to place candles all around the rooms of his apartment so they would have enough light to walk around without carrying candles and leaving wax stains on the carpet. Ugh. He hated the thought of having to wash this expensive carpet, yet even that couldn't spoil his mood as he now knew exactly what to do to get his company back. Heh.

_

"Alright, Yugi … I promise. Goodnight." Atem hung up with a sigh. He suspected that Yugi would not let him leave at this time, and honestly, even Atem knew that it would be unwise. It was late, storming, he was drunk … and hard. A natural reaction, he presumed. It has been a while since Atem had slept with someone, so a knee, no matter who's knee, pressing so hard against his crotch would certainly spark such a reaction. What he didn't understand was why, in Heavens' name, did he moan? Why did he act like so under Kaiba? Did he hear it? Was it just his imagination, did Atem merely imagine himself moaning, or was it loud enough for Mokuba to hear? He avoided Seto walking around with the candles as he tried to collect his thoughts. Think this through.

Leaving was not an option, that much he knew. From what he was aware of, Mokuba had a room for himself, and it had only one bed. Maybe Kaiba would let him sleep there while he and Mokuba sleep together on the king-sized bed in his bedroom. Or perhaps Kaiba would let him sleep on the couch. Uncomfortable, but preferable over sleeping in Mokuba's bed. After all, the bed was small. Atem was a grown man, no matter how much shorter he was from Kaiba.

Now how should he ask him? It felt rude to say that he had no choice but to spend the night here. Something more, it was unthinkable to ask that after what happened just now … Damn it. Maybe Kaiba would ask him first. Atem glanced. No. Not a chance. Not in a million years would Seto suggest he spends the night here.

"You're spending the night here." Kaiba nonchalantly declared as he was cleaning up the cards from the ground. They left quite the mess. Beer cans and cards. A miracle they weren't soaked up with the liquid.

The disheartened Atem was left wide-eyed. He was at a loss for words. Usually he knew what to say in every situation. He had a good sixth sense, he could see something coming and reacted accordingly without any preparation. Now … Now he didn't know what to say. "Do I not get a say in this?" He managed. A part of him was confident that this was some sort of a dream. Perhaps in reality, Atem had gone back to his own home after failing to find Kaiba's apartment. He had taken a shower, had diner, then went to bed and all of this was the byproduct of his dreaming. If only.

"If you haven't noticed already, you're in my apartment, Muto. You will obey my rules when under my roof. And no, you don't get a say in this. I don't want you going out, catching a cold and then having everyone blame me for your condition." Kaiba finished positioning the last candle and stepped back to admire his handiwork. Good. Now the place was evenly lit. He turned around and faced Atem. "Now if you're done being selfish, look me in the eyes and answer me. Are you hurt?"

Atem blinked. Was he really asking him that? Had they become so close that Kaiba was worried for his well-being? Not just the question, his previous lecture on how everyone would blame him if he catches a cold appeared too forced to be true. Since when does Kaiba care what people say about him? _Come on, he's just being a friend, _Atem could already hear Yugi assuring him, _he's not as bad as you think! _But that's exactly what Kaiba was. If he wasn't a mean prick, then he wasn't Kaiba at all. And no matter how hard he tried to sound like a douchebag now, this was the kindest Kaiba's ever been to him. It was like someone kidnapped Seto and replaced him with a better version of himself. "I … am well?"

The brunet pursed his lips. Did he come off too strong? Damn it. If he wasn't careful, Atem might … might what? Discover his brilliant plan? Ha, as if. Kaiba regained his lost confidence. It was good that Atem was surprised, shocked, taken aback by his words. That was a part of the plan. Very soon, the pharaoh would start getting ideas. Wrong ideas, but they were the ideas Kaiba wanted to implant in his brain. Once that's done, he would have his revenge against Muto. Make him suffer so much that he would never forget that day. Just thinking about it filled him with adrenaline. "Good. There is a spare toothbrush in the bathroom." In other words, go do what you usually do, because it's bedtime.

"Right." Atem stood, feeling the air tickle the sides of his waist. This was not a proper attire for bed at all. Couldn't Kaiba give him something his to wear, perhaps an old shirt? Still, asking for that was too much. Beggars can't be choosers, even if he felt that he had soiled this pajama with whatever the heck happened earlier. Besides, it was just one night. Surely, he could endure one night of the humiliation and Kaiba's odd behavior. He half-wondered if the thunder had been so strong that it shook Kaiba's brain, thus resulting in his change of attitude. Then again, perhaps Yugi was right. Maybe Kaiba was just trying to be a friend. Atem shuddered. Just the thought of this disturbed him. "Where was the bathroom again?"

"Walk straight down the corridor, then turn to the left. Moron." Kaiba instructed, mumbling something under his breath which Atem wasn't quite sure he heard right. The exotic-haired man lightly shrugged and followed his instructions. As if this couldn't get any better, on the way to the bathroom he bumped into someone. Since Kaiba was in the living room, Atem knew this was none other than Mokuba.

"Oh, Atem. You…" Mokuba's words stopped dead somewhere along the way of realizing that Atem was wearing his old pajamas. God, what the hell what that?! "Why are you wearing that?" It hardly fit him! Not to mention he looked ridiculous with his stomach out like that. He looked like an underage in a belly dancer costume, as if he was trying to participate in Toddlers&amp;Tiaras and something went horribly wrong.

"Your, uh … brother was kind enough to lend me your old pajamas as my clothes were wet." He mumbled, his face already turned a crimson red. "I hope you don't mind."

Mokuba raised one brow and walked past him. He knew that the sight of Yugi's big brother wearing those clothes had forever scarred him. Least he now had something else to mock Yugi for. If his brother taught him anything, it was to turn every misfortune into an advantage. Seeing Atem with his own pajamas was disgusting, but it was also the most powerful weapon in the galaxy, something he could use to make Yugi do his homework and maybe even share his lunch with him.

That went well, Atem thought sarcastically and sighed. He was starting to wonder if it wasn't kindness Kaiba was showing him, but rather his own ways of making his life hell. After all, some things really were too good to be true.

Once he was done with his nightly rituals, Atem left the bathroom and made his way back to the living room. He found Kaiba sitting on the couch, holding yet another can of beer. Why so much beer anyway? It was almost as if he had been preparing a party which got cancelled, and now he had to drink everything by himself. It was unusual for Kaiba to be drinking so heavily, or so did Atem thought. He'd never seen that side of him.

"Kaiba?" His voice, no matter how gentle he tried to make it, still startled Seto almost into jumping off his own couch. He stiffened and clenched his teeth, eyes narrowed in Atem's direction. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know what pisses me off more, you calling me by my first name, or you overusing my last name." Kaiba growled as he took another sip of his beer. This was, perhaps, his fourth can of beer. He was already drunk, albeit not much.

"I have no other way of calling you, Kaiba." Atem sat down with a little smile. He had no idea he was saying his name so often. He never felt himself saying it, really. It was just a pleasant name to say, and he liked overusing it, if that's what he was really doing, and not just Kaiba getting delusional out of hate for him.

"How about stop calling me at all?" The brunet huffed. If Atem wasn't breathing in his neck all the time, maybe he wouldn't be so goddamn pissed.

"If that's what you really want." Atem said quietly. They shared a moment of silence before he continued, "I wanted to speak to you about—"

"There's nothing to talk about, Muto." Kaiba interrupted him. "If you're going to lecture me on my own legacy, save your breath. I've heard enough. I will get my company back one way or another. I'll work hard for it, or I will take it by force. Either way, I will get it. I don't need your pity, nor do I need your charity. If you dare give up on my father's legacy, I will erase you from my life."

Atem remained silent. Bluffing or not, Kaiba sounded upset. Perhaps he really shouldn't mention this anymore. Irony was that this wasn't what he wanted to discuss. "It's not about the company, Kaiba."

"Oh?" Seto glanced at him to fully study his face. His heart skipped when he saw Muto all flushed and struggling to find the right words to begin. Fucking hell, he knew it. He knew this wouldn't go unnoticed.

"It's about … what happened."

Kaiba finished his beer and left the can aside. Of course Muto would mention this. Of course he'd want to discuss it. Couldn't he act like a real adult once in his life, ignoring truly important things, rather than discussing them like an idiot? Then again, he was an idiot. "I don't know what you're talking about." That's it. Deny everything.

"When the lights went out …" Atem hesitantly started. "Do you really not know what happened during that time?" He was being as vague as possible, hoping that maybe Kaiba really didn't know.

"I don't!" Seto stood as he raised his voice. The emptied can of beer was slammed on the table. "Why do you have to talk to me like a child, Muto? I already told you I don't know. No need to double check my answer. Now quit the interrogation and go to sleep. My bedroom."

Atem, who was startled by the almost threatening tone, somewhat frowned and crossed his arms. "I can decide when I want to sleep, Kaiba. You have no right to tell me what to do."

"Is that so?" Kaiba turned to him and leaned closer, until their faces were so close that their lips almost touched as he spoke. "You're in my apartment, Muto. You're going to do whatever I tell you to do. My home. My rules." Every fiber in him screamed to move away, but he kept his composure knowing full well that this was a part of his plan. He could smell Atem so clearly, so distinctly that it made his stomach turn. "Am I clear?" A short pause followed which didn't give the pharaoh time to answer him. "Now go to my bedroom like a good little mutt and sleep. The faster this day is over with, the sooner I'll get rid of you." He growled, then stood and left the confused Muto to figure this out by himself.

Kaiba closed himself in the bathroom and unzipped his pants. He caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror and cringed when he saw how red he had become. Was this a blush? No, no. This was a severe allergic reaction to that goddamn Muto. He expected to start swelling soon! Kaiba lowered his boxers and looked down. His jaw nearly dropped. "Fuck."

Well. He was right about one thing. There really was swelling, … but not where he expected.


End file.
